Suicide Facts

SAVE uses the most current data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2013, there were 41,149 deaths by suicide in the United States. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death; homicide ranks 16th. It is the second leading cause of death for 15 - 24 year olds. Click on the chart to the right which shows the Ten Leading Causes of Death in the U.S. in 2013. For more data, you may visit www.cdc.gov or www.who.int. For more comprehensive data, visit the CDC website's Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System(WISQARS)

General Statistics

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US for all ages. (CDC)

The suicide rates decreased from 1990-2000 from 12.5 suicides per 100,000 to 10.4 per 100,000. Over the past decade, however, the rate has again increased to 12.1 per 100,000. Every day, approximately 105 Americans die by suicide. (CDC)

There is one death by suicide in the US every 13 minutes. (CDC)

Depression affects 20-25% of Americans ages 18+ in a given year. (CDC)

Suicide takes the lives of over 38,000 Americans every year. (CDC)

Only half of all Americans experiencing an episode of major depression receive treatment. (NAMI)

80% -90% of people that seek treatment for depression are treated successfully using therapy and/or medication. (TAPS study)

An estimated quarter million people each year become suicide survivors (AAS).

There is one suicide for every estimated 25 suicide attempts. (CDC)

There is one suicide for every estimated 4 suicide attempts in the elderly. (CDC)

Gender Disparaties

Suicide among males is 4x’s higher than among females. Male deaths represent 79% of all US suicides. (CDC)

Firearms are the most commonly used method of suicide among males (51%). (CDC)

Access to firearms is associated with a significantly increased risk of suicide. (NAMI)

Females are more likely than males to have had suicidal thoughts. (CDC)

Females experience depression at roughly 2x’s the rate of men.(SMH)

Females attempt suicide 3x’s as often as males. (CDC)

Poisoning is the most common method of suicide for females. (CDC)

Age Disparaties

1 in 100,000 children ages 10 to 14 die by suicide each year. (NIMH)

7 in 100,000 youth ages 15 to 19 die by suicide each year. (NIMH)

12.7 in 100,000 young adults ages 20-24 die by suicide each year. (NIMH)

The prevalence of suicidal thoughts, suicidal planning and suicide attempts is significantly higher among adults aged 18-29 than among adults aged 30+. (CDC)

Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year old Americans. (CDC)

Suicide is the 4th leading cause of death for adults ages 18-65. (CDC)

The highest increase in suicide is in males 50+ (30 per 100,000). (CDC)

Suicide rates for females are highest among those aged 45-54 (9 per 100,000). (CDC)

Suicide rates for males are highest among those aged 75+ (36 per 100,000). (CDC)

Suicide rates among the elderly are highest for those who are divorced or widowed. (SMH)

Racial and Ethnic Disparaties

The highest suicide rates in the US are among Whites, American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Worldwide

Over 800,000 people die by suicide every year. (WHO)

There is one death by suicide in the world every 40 seconds. (WHO)

Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in the world for those aged 15-44 years. (WHO)